Wire-bending machine



A. VAN VEEN WIRE SENDING MACHINE Filed Nov, 1922 Nov. 22, 19270 2 Sheets-Sheet l TOP/YE Y Patented Nov. 22, 1927.

UNITED STATES ANTON VAN VEEN, OF NEW BRITAIN,

PATENT OFFICE.

CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE FULLER cum. I

Application filed November 22, 1922. Serial No. 602,503.

This invention relates to the class of machines more especially adapted for bending wire structures in which bristles have been attached to a wire core as by a twisting operation, and an object of the invention, among others, is to provide a. machine that shall be particularly etiicientboth as to the rapidity of its operation and the character of work performed.

One form of machine embodying the invention and in the construction and use of which the objects herein set out, as well as others, may be attained, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which' Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of the improved machine with the driving pulley removed.

Fig. 2 is a top view of the same with parts broken away on a plane denoted by the dotted line 2-2 of Fig. 1, the mechanism being shown in position at the termination of a bending operation, and with the delivery chute removed, but shown in dotted lines.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the delivery chute in place and the feed device removed, and the parts being shown in their normal positions of rest.

Fig. at is a view of a portion of the structure as shown in Fig. 3, but with the bending mechanism in anintermediate position.

Fig. 5 is a view in horizontal section on a plane denoted by the dotted lines 5-5 of Figs. 1 and 6, the bending slide being shown.

' in a rearward position.

Fig. 6 is a view 111 vertical section on a plane denoted by the dotted line 66 of Fig. 3, but with the bending arms in their forward or bending positions.

Fig. 7 is a detail view, scale enlarged, illustrating the grippers and on a plane denoted by the dotted line 7-7 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a detail view. also on enlarged scale, of a portion of the machine on a plane denoted by the dotted line 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 9 (Sheet 1) is a detailview illustrating the operation of the feed device In the accompanying drawings the numeral 10 denotes the base of the machine having a base block 11 secured thereto in any suitable manner, this block being preferably, separately formed and attached as by means of bolts.

This base block is made hollow WIRE-BENDING'MACHINE.

' with sides 1213 located opposite each other,

and a table 14 forms the top of a chamber 15 within the base block, there being openings 16-17 into this chamber through op posite sides of the base block.

Straps 18 19 are secured to opposite sides of the base block at or near the front and back edges thereof, as shown in'Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawings, said straps being removed in Figures 3 to 6, and these straps having upwardly projecting arms 202l forming a feed chute 22 betwecn them for the reception of the projecting ends of brush structures 23, which structures comprise bodies of.

bristles secured between twisted strands of wire in a manner that will be readily undcrstood. These brush structures are referably manually placed in the feed cliute, but any other means for supplying the chute with said structures may be provided. 7 A driving shaft 2a is mounted in a bearing block 25 secured to and rising from the base and is provided with any suitable driv ing means as a pulley 26, by means of which the machine is driven. A cam 27 and a bending crank disk 28 are secured to the driving shaft, said disk having a bending rod 29 adjustably secured thereto at one end, said rod'being attached to a bending slide 30 at its opposite end. Said slide is mounted in slideways formed by a guide block 31 and a guide plate 32, said block being secured to the inner surface of the side 12 and said plate bein secured to said block, as clearly shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings. A bending rack 33 is removably secured to the slide 30 with its teeth in mesh with the teeth of a bending pinion 34 in gear with another bending pinion 35. These pinions are secured to bending shafts 36-37 rotatably mounted preferably in bearing sleeves in the table 14, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings, the upper ends of said shafts having bending arms 38--39 secured thereto and, projecting laterally therefrom.

Bending posts fO-l1 are secured to and rise from said arms, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, these posts being hollow to receive clamp plungers l2 located one in each post, each of said plungers having a shoulder to receive the thrust'of a spring 13 bearing with one end against saidshoul- I these clamps hold the ends of the wires of der and with its opposite end against the end wall of the chamber within. the hollow post. These springs thrust the clamp plungers downwardly toward balls 44 against which the plungers seat and upon which they ride, said balls rolling over'the upper surface of the table 14 and'also of releasing plates 45 secured to the upper surface of the table. The upper end of each plunger is provided with a clamp 46 secured tothe plunger as by means of" intermeshing screw threads-and held in placev as by a clamp nut, as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings. As

thebrush structures to be bent, the downward movement of the plungers will belimited by such wires. Therefore, in order to keep the balls 44 in contact with the upper surface of the. table 14 when the balls pass from the plates 45, springs 47 are located in chambers pro gecting inwardly from the recesses located in the bottom of each of the plungers, as shown in Fig. 7 ofthedrawings, within which recesses saidballs 44 are located and roll.

Plunger retaining plates 48 are pivotallymounted on the table 14, the pivots for said plates having returning springs 49 (see Fig. 8 of the drawings) for returning the plates to their normal positions. The ends of these plates are beveled on their under surfaces as at 50 to correspondwith the bevsled upper surfaces 74 of the plates 45, the upper surfaces of the plates 45 and 48 being 1 in the same plane. Plunger easingcams 51' are formed onthe plates48 for thepurpose of'easing. the movement of the plungers from the upper surfaces of theplates 48 to that ofthe. table 14 in the return movement of the plungers' from their bending positions. Plunger opening plates 52 are securedto the upper surface of the table 14, the ends of these plates being beveled as shown in Figs. 3 'and4, the balls 44- riding up these beveled sunfaces-v on the return of the plungers. to their normal positions, forcing them up wardly and. thereby opening the clamps 46 to receive the. ends of the wires.

Inthe operation of the mechanism thus described the-plunger arms 38-39being inthe positions illustrated in Fig. 3, the ends of the:brus'h structure23 will be in. the positions-shown-bvdotted lines in Fig; 3. Said bending arms. being now moved by the operation ofthe benning slide 30 in a direction away from the driving. shaft 24,v the ends of the wires will be received in the spaces. between. the clamps 46 and the ends of the posts 40 41. As the balls pass down the beveled surfaces at the ends of the plates 52 theplungers will move downwardly under. the influence of the springs 43 and the ends of the-Wires will be securely clamped. As. the arms 38-39 continue their bending movements they will contactwith each of of movement of the plungers and against.

the tension of' the springs 49. In this movementthe brush structure is held at itslengthwise center against a center bending post 53, to be hereinafter described, the bending of the brush structuretaking'place around such post. As the plungers approach eachother the balls 44 travel up the beveled surfaces 74 on the plates and the plungers are thereby raised to release the clamps 46 from thewires, and the bent structure is-free to be removed by the extracting mechanism now to be described.

This extractin mechanism comprises an extractor 54 pivotally mounted on an ex racting. arm 55 that swings upon a pivot 56 on a support 57 secured to the side of the block 11. An extracting rod 58 extends from the arm 55 to a strap rotatablyinountedon the post 40 to which it is secured, and

thereby the reciprocating movement of said post is made use of to reciprocate the ex tractor to engage the brush structures and to remove them after they have been bent.

In the bending operation an end bending post 59 is made use of for bending the ends of the wires outwardly away from each other, and as illustrated in F 2 of the drawings, thetable 14 to receive the ends of the wires as they approach eachother in the bending operation, and the posts 40-41 force the wires-together against the resistance of the post 59 and thus bend said wires outwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

In the bending movement of the arms 3839, as the balls 44 pass up the beveled surfaces 74'on to the fiat surfaces of the releasing plates 45, said balls are disengaged from the plunger retaining plates 48 and the latter are returned, by the springs 49, to the positions shown in Fig. 3, sothat said balls, in the return movement of the bending. arms, pass from the flat surfaces" of the plates 45, without changing level, on to the flat surfaces of the plunger retaining plates 48, the pl ungers consequently being retained intheir raised posit ons to keep the clamps 46 open duringia portion of the return move ment of said bending arms and long? enough topermit the free disengagement of the pro jecting wires'of the brush structures from the clamps by the extractor 54. Time. is therefore saved and'the speed of the machine thereby increased by provid ng for return movement of the bending arms during'th'e extracting operation.

The center bending post 53 is movably mounted as by securing it to a slide 60 that has a movement in a slideway formed between guides 61, said guides being held between and secured to plates 6263, the plates 62 forming a surface upon which the brush structures rest just prior to the bendthis end bending post rising from lZiii ing operation, and while being bent. The slide 60 is reciprocated as by means of a slide operating rod 64: secured to a bell crank lever 65 pivotally supported between angle pieces 66 secured to and rising from the base 10. One end. of the lever is secured to the rod S t and the opposite end has a roller in contact with the cam 27 hereinbefore referred to, said roller, being held in contact with the cam by a spring 76 attached at one end to the lever 65 and at the other end to a spring support 77. This cam is shaped and timed to present the post 53 in the position shown in Fig. 3-when a brush is ready to drop to bending position, and to move the slide 60 to position the post in the location shown in Fig. 2, the bending operation and the movement of said post to said location, in the mechanism as herein shown, taking place simultaneously, the post, however, reaching the position shown in Fig. 2 before the bending operation terminates.

The feed mechanism comprises a detent supporting bar 67 pivot-ally attached to each of the arms 20, said bars each having a detent 68 rigidly secured thereto and a beveled end to engage the projecting wire ends of the brush structures 23,these detents supporting the brush structures one upon another before they are presented to the lowermost or bending position. These detents in their reciprocating movement's pass between the ends of the'wire core of the brush structure at the bottom of the pile and that next to the bottom structure, as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 9 of the drawings. These detents are of considerable width and the ends are beveled in order that the pile of structures shall be raised in each reciprocating movement of the detents. This lifts the pile from the lowermost structure, enabling the latter to be relieved of pressure during the operation of removing it after it has been bent, and, further, this raising of the pile tends to keep each of the structures tree and from being cramped or wedged.

An operating finger 69 is adjustably secared to a bar extending between and attached in any suitable manner to the bars 67 and in position to be encountered by the center bending post 53 in the movement of the latter. The detents are forced into a normal position of rest, as by means of springs 70, each secured at one end to an arm 71 rigidly attached to a bar- 67, the opposite ends of the springs being attached to a fixed part of the machine.

In the operation of this feed device, the extracting and feed mechanism being in the position illustrated in Fig. 1' with a bending operation just completed the hooked end of the extractor 54 (see dotted lines in Figure 1) is in position for engagement with the brush structure to remove it, said extractor engaging behind thebristles, with respect to the extracting movement and within the bow, sufiiciently for this purpose This position of the extractor is caused by a spring located on a headed pin 72 projecting upwardly from a plate 7 3 attached to the arm 55. The spring thrusts with one end against the head of the pin and with its opposite end against the extractor, pressing the, latter downward into engagement with the brush structure for extracting purposes.

As the bending arm 38 moves from its bending position into position to receive a brush structure, it operates the rod 58 and the extractor arm 55 to cause the extractor to withdraw the bent structure, that, just as soonas it passes from the plate 62, travels down the inclined delivery chute 75. In this movement of saidfeed arms for the purpose of receiving another brush structure, the posts l0-41 pass under the pile of brush structuresin the feed chute, the detent 68 not releasing such structures until after said posts have passed underneath the pile. Said arms are now moved to effect a bending operation, the extractor is moved to extracting position. and in such movement it thrusts against the brush structure resting on the detent and lifts the pile toa slight degree, thus releasing any structures that may have become wedged in the chute. i

In. accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes I have described the principles of. operation ofmy invention, together with the device which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof; but I desire to have it understood that the device shown is only illustrative and that the invention may be carried out by other means.

I claim 7 1. A bending machine comprising bend ing members to engage the ends of an article to move them toward e'ach'other and eflect a complete bending of said article, said members being disengaged from the center vof the article, a positionmg post movably mounted to'receive and supportsaid' article intermediate its ends and around which the article is bent, said post being mounted to move in a plane in which the article is bent, and means for moving the post simultaneously with the bending movement of said article.

2. A bending'machine comprising bending members bodily movably mounted to engage the ends of an article to move them towar each other, and effect a complete bending of said article, said-members being disengaged from the center of'the article, a positioning'post movably mounted for reciprocating movement, and means for moving the post in one direction simultaneously with the movement'of the ends of said article in an opposite direction to bend the article around said moving post.

3. A bending machine comprising bending members movably mounted to engage the endsof anarticle to move them toward each other, said members being disengaged from the center of thearticle, a post mounted for reciprocating movement to receive an article intermediate its ends and around which the article is bent, and means for moving the post andt-he bending members concurrently inopposite directions.

4:- A bending machine comprising bending members movably mounted to engage the ends of an article to move them toward each other, said members being disengaged from the center oi the article, a plate upon which said articles rest during the bending operation, said plate having a slot, a slide mov ably mounted underneath said plate, and a post; project-ing upwardly itron'i said slide through said slot in position to receive intermediate their ends the articles to be bent.

5. A bending machine cor prising a bending member movable in a curved path, a post mount-ed on said member to engage an end of an; article to move it along said curved path for bending purposes, a clamp on the end of the post to receive said end, and means for resisting movement of said article intermediate its ends.

6. A bending machine comprising .a bending member movable in a curved path, a post mounted on said member, a clamp movably mounted on the end of said post to receive an end of an article to be bent along said curved path, means for operating said clamp, and means for resisting movement of said article intermediate its ends.

7. A bending machine comprising a bending member movable in a curved path, a post mounted on said member, a plunger located in said post and projecting beyond the end thereof, aclamp secured to the projecting end of said plunger to receive the'end of an article to be bent and move it along; said curved path, means for operating said clamp and plunger, and means to resist movement of said article intermediate its ends.

8. A bending machine comprising a bending member movably mounted, a post mounted on said. member, a plunger located in said post and projecting beyond the end thereof, a clamp secured to the projecting end of said plunger to receive the end of an articlfe-to be bent, an anti-friction device engagingtheend ofsaid plunger and upon. which it rides,rmeansto engage said anti.-i'riction aember tooperate said clamp, and means to resist movement of said article intermediate its ends.

9. A bending machine comprising a bending member movably mounted, a post mounted on said member, a plunger located in said post and projecting beyond the end thereof, a clamp secured to the projecting end of said plunger to receive the end of a Wire to be bent, a platepositioned tooperate saidplunger and the clamp thereon, andineans to resist movement ofsaid Wireintermediate its ends.v

10. A bending machine comprisinga bendingmember movably mounted, a'post mount.- ed on said member, a plunger. located in said post and projecting beyond the end thereof, a clamp secured to the end'of the plunger to engage the end of an article to be bent, an anti-friction member engaging the end of the plunger and upon which said plunger rides, a plate on to which said anti-friction member travels to operate said clamp, means for pressing the anti-friction member against the plate over which it travels, and means to resist movement of said article intermediate its ends. 7

11. A bending machine comprising a bending member mounted for reciprocating movement in a curvedpath, a post mounted on said member to move it along said-path,

a plunger located in said post and projecting beyond the end thereof; a'clamp secured to the end of the plunger, means for operating the plunger at each endof its path of travel, and means to resist movement of said article intermediate its ends.

12. A bending machine comprising a bending member movable ina curved path, a post mounted on said member, a: clamp mounted on the end of the post to receive the end of an article to be bent to move said end along said path, means for releasing said clamp and for retaining it in released position duringmovement of: said post from bending position, and means to resist movement. of said article intermediate its ends.

13. A bending machine comprising a bend ing member movable in a curved path, a clamp mounted on said member to engage the end of an article to be bent to move said end along saidpath, means for releasing saidclamp at the end of its travel to receive said article, means for closing said clampin its reverse movement, means for opening the clamp at the end-oi. its bending movement, and means to resist movement of said article intermediate its ends.

14:. A bending machine comprising a; bende ing member movably mounted, a: clamp mounted on said member to engage an ar ticle to bebent, means for. opening said clamp at the end of its; movement to receive said article, means for closing said clampinits reverse movement, means for opening the clamp at the end ofits bendingmovement, means for retaining said clamp in its open position during return movementof the clamp from its bending position, and means to resist movement of the; articleintermediate its ends. 4

15. A bending. machine comprising a bending mem-bermovablv mounted, a clamp mounted upon, said bending memberto, re.- ceive articleto; be-benna retain-ing plate movably mounted to retain said clamp in a certain position, and means on said member to move said plate out of its path.

16. A bending machine comprising a bending member movably mounted, a clamp mounted upon said bending member to receive an article to be bent, a releasing plate to release said clamp, and a retaining plate movably mounted to engage said releasing late;

17. A bending machine comprising a bending member movably mounted, a clamp mounted upon said bending member to receive an article to be bent, a releasing plate having a beveled surface to operate to release said clamp, a retaining plate movably mounted with a beveled surface to engage that on the releasing plate, and means on said member to engage said retaining plate to move it from the path of said member.

18. A'bending machine comprising a-movably mounted bending member having a clamp to engage an article to be bent, a releasing plate having a beveled surface and a flat surface, a movably mountedretaining plate having a flat surface located in the same plane as that on the releasing plate, and means on said member to engage the retaining plate to move it from the path of said member. e 19. A bending machinecomprising a movably mounted bending member having a clamp to engage an article to be bent, a releasing plate, a movably mounted retaining plate having a retaining surface located in the plane with the surface of the releasing plate, an easing cam located on said retaining plate, and means for moving the retaining plate from the path of movement of said member. I

20. A bending machine comprising a feed device, a bending member movably mounted to receive an article to be bent, a second bending member movably mounted, and a detent comprising a part of the feed device and movably mounted to engage a pile of said articles, said detent being located in the path of movement of said second bending member for operation thereby to release one of said articles at each bending opera-- tion.

21. A bending machine comprising bending mechanism and a feed device comprising a chute for articles to'be bent, a detent to successively engage said articles and to re-' lease them to present them in bending position, said detent having a beveled endto raise and lower'the pile of articles in said chute in each reciprocating movement of the detent, and means for operating the detent.

22. A bending machine comprising bending mechanism and including a feed device comprising a chute for articles to be bent and a detent to successively engage said articles, and a reciprocating member around which said articles are bent, said reciprocating member engaging said detent in each of its reciprocating movements to operate the detent.

23. A bending machine including a feed device comprising a pair of chutes, bending mechanism to bend an article received from said chutes, a post reciprocatingly mounted to resist movement at its center of an article being bent, detents, a connection between said 'detents, and a finger projecting from said connection into the path of movementof said post.

24;. A bending machine comprising a supporting bending member positioned 'to re ceive an article to. be bent intermediate the ends of said article, active bending members spaced from said supporting member and movable in a curved path thereabout, means for operating said active members, and means on said active members spaced from said support to' grasp the ends of said article and move them with a sweeping i161 tion toward each other.

25. A bending machine comprising a sup porting member to receive an article t9 be bent intermediate the ends of said art1cle, a pair of shafts, means for applying force directly to said shafts to rotate them, bending arms secured to and projecting radially from said shafts, and means on the ends of said arms to grasp the ends of said article and exert a yielding hold thereon as they are swept in a curved path toward each other and aboutsaid supporting member by said arm-s. V

26. A bending machine comprising a supporting member to receive an article to be bent intermediate the ends of said article, active bending members spacedfrom said supporting member and movable in a curved path thereabout, means for operating said active members, means for simultaneously moving said supporting member in opposition to said active members, and means on said activemembers and spaced from said supporting member to receive the ends of said article and move them witha sweeping action toward each other. i

' ANTON VAN VEEN. 

